U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,805 discloses apparatus capable of draining whey for the manufacture of large sized blocks of cheese weighing approximately 700 pounds. The container of this apparatus has draining apertures positioned only on its top and bottom ends. This device applies pressure to the curd particles through the end of the container thereby using pressure in a single plane. As a result, when pressure is applied to the cheese curd particles, whey located in the inner reaches of the container must migrate through a substantial amount of curd particle resistance to reach the draining apertures at the outer ends of the container. Furthermore, this disclosure requires cumbersome equipment to suspend the pressing container and to successively tilt the pressing container to pour off the drained whey.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,969,995 and 4,049,838 respectively disclose an apparatus and method to press and drain cheese curd particles into large sized blocks of cheese. That disclosed apparatus provides for internal draining mechanisms to press the cheese curd particles from the top and bottom of the pressing container. These internal draining mechanisms are V-shaped foraminous blades which are orientated so that the narrowest ends of the blades penetrate the curd material the furthest. Even at the most extensive point of penetration, the V-shaped blades do not pass the mid-section of the pressing container. Due to the V-shaped configuration of the blades, the curd particle material is displaced nonuniformly. Furthermore, the disclosure calls for substantial pivotal support apparatus to suspend, to rotate and to hold the pressing container in a 90.degree. from an initial upright position to drain the whey from some of the V-shaped blades. This whey is spilled out onto the floor and is not recovered.
Other typical apparatus for making large sized blocks of cheese are disclosed in other U.S Pat. Nos. 2,851,776; 3,100,712; 3,133,492; 3,568,316; and 3,719,994.